Morning Buzz, July 10, 2003

NIKE TO ACQUIRE CONVERSE AND RUN IT AS A SEPARATE UNIT

The BOSTON GLOBE reports that Nike has agreed to acquireConverse in a deal valued at $305M, consisting of “an undisclosed amount ofcash as well as the assumption of debt.” As Nike will run Converse as a separate unit, the management team of theinvestment group that bought Converse out of bankruptcy in ’01 for $117M willstay on, including CEO Jack Boys. Retail analysts expect the deal “will give Nike access to discountchannels and perhaps to Foot Locker, the retailer that dropped many of Nike’smore expensive shoes last year” (BOSTONGLOBE, 7/10).

PLAYER’S TO FETE RACING HISTORY AS SPONSORSHIP EXIT LOOMS

The Toronto GLOBE & MAIL reports that Imperial Tobaccobrand Player’s this morning will host 15 former drivers as well as executivesand support staff at the Canadian National Exhibition grounds, site of thisweekend’s Molson Indy, to celebrate the brand that has “been at the forefrontof the sport in Canada since 1961.”  Thebrand’s connection with racing will end this year, as the Canadian government’sTobacco Control Act “requires tobacco companies to cease any form ofadvertising or sponsorship activity” as of October 1 (TorontoGLOBE & MAIL, 7/10).

TROPICANA FIELD REFINANCING PLAN TO BE CONSIDERED TODAY

The ST. PETERSBURG TIMES reported that the St. PetersburgCity Council is scheduled to vote today on whether to send Mayor Rick Baker’sproposed Tropicana Field refinancing plan to Pinellas County for approval.  Under Baker’s plan, the city “would givePinellas County $150,000 each year from the annual savings, estimated at$750,000 per year.”  If the plan isrejected, the city “will use a different method for refinancing that may notsave as much money, but won’t require county approval.”  County officials say the offer “is likely tobe rejected” (ST.PETERSBURG TIMES, 7/8).

ATP LIFTS PLAYER BAN AS ITS TRAINERS MAY HAVE SUPPLIEDDRUGS

The L.A. TIMES reports that products “dispensed by ATP Tourtrainers may have been contaminated, possibly causing seven tennis players totest positive for the banned steroid nandrolone.”  The only player to be identified in the case was BohdanUlihrach of the Czech Republic, “who was banned for two years in May aftertesting positive for the performance-enhancing substance.”  Since the ATP could not rule out thepossibility that its trainers supplied him with nandrolone, the ban and $43,770fine have been lifted and “his lost ranking points were restored” (L.A.TIMES, 7/10).

MORNING BRIEFS

The MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL reports that Pirates 1B RandallSimon was arrested last night for misdemeanor battery after hitting one ofthe participants in the Brewers’ nightly sausage race with a bat, causinganother participant to fall as well. The injured characters “suffered scraped knees and were treated by thestadium’s first aid staff but did not require hospitalization.”  Brewers Exec VP/Business Operations RickSchlesinger: “It sickened me to see it” (MILWAUKEE JOURNALSENTINEL, 7/10). Click on the image below to access video of the incident.

U.S. Rep. James Moran (D-VA) said that he does not“support the efforts of a [VA] agency that wants to bring [an MLB] team toNorthern [VA] and favors Arlington County as a potential site for theballpark.”  Moran added that he “willnot support the project because of vocal opposition from many in thecommunities where it has been proposed” (WASHINGTONPOST, 7/10).

Hawks/Thrashers President Stan Kasten, on closing thesale of the teams: “I think there is a sense thatthings can happen soon (on the sale), and it would just make a lot more senseto get to that point (before naming a coach or GM).  We’re watching carefully. … As long as (the completion ofnegotiations) doesn’t look as if it’s months and months off, we’ll continue toput off whatever decisions we can a little longer.  If there are things that cannot be put off, we’ll (act); if we hadto make a decision on a free agent today, we’d make it, very simply” (ATLANTACONSTITUTION, 7/10).

The ORLANDO SENTINEL reports that ESPN Radio affil WHOO-AM in Orlando todaywill announce ABC college football analyst Terry Bowden as its newafternoon sports-talk host.  Bowden willbe heard from 4:00-7:00pm ET weekdays on the station, as well as on ESPN Radioaffil WIXC-AM in Melbourne (ORLANDOSENTINEL, 7/10).

The CO Springs GAZETTE reportsthat the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade &Consumer Protection today is planning to announce a second hearing on the USOC,which will “likely take place” at 10:00am ET next Wednesday.  It will be the “fifth Congressional hearingon USOC reform in seven months” (CO Springs GAZETTE, 7/10).

The AHL yesterday unveiled a new conference and divisionalignment and Calder Cup Playoff format for the ’03-04 season.  The league has returned to a four-division,two-conference alignment, with seven teams in each division (AHL).

ATTENDANCE WATCH:

• The TORONTO STAR reports that more than 2,000 young people attended the opening of the $130,000 basketball court in Dixon Park, which was made possible because of Raptors F Vince Carter’s Embassy of Hope Foundation (TORONTO STAR, 7/10).

THE BACK PAGES

The Morning Buzz offers today’s back page sportscovers from some of the nation’s major metropolitan tabloids:

N.Y. Post	N.Y. Daily News
Philadelphia Daily News	Philadelphia Daily News

TODAY’S EVENTS

MLB will conduct media “Hard Hat Tours” of the John HancockAll-Star FanFest at McCormick Place at 10:00am and 2:00pm CT.  The baseball theme park, which launches the’03 All-Star Week in Chicago, opens to the public tomorrow at 9:00am (WhiteSox).

The USOC will host its first-ever Spanish teleconference at11:00am MT with ’03 U.S. Pan American Games team members Steven Lopez, RaulMartinez and Ruben Gonzales (USOC).

The Packers will conduct a noon CT press conference atLambeau Field to announce the name and logo of a new specialty-themed, year-roundrestaurant to be located in the Lambeau Field Atrium (Packers).

The Pro Football HOF will open a new, $1.7M hall to housethe gallery of busts (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 7/9).

INOTHER NEWS….

MULTICHANNEL NEWS reports that Viacom has “all but shelvedits proposed gay-themed network.” Showtime Networks Chair & CEO Matt Blank yesterday said thatthe “volatility of the cable marketplace has made it difficult to launch anynew channel from scratch, even though the concept of a network based on gay andlesbian culture was well received by operators” (MULTICHANNELNEWS, 7/10).

Yahoo reported its Q2 ’03 earnings yesterday, and the L.A.TIMES reports that the company’s profit “more than doubled to $50.8[M] asrevenue jumped 42% to $321.4[M],” up from a $21.4M profit in ’02 on revenue of$225.8M.  The results were “powered by aboost in advertising, proceeds from companies paying to be highlighted in Websearches and fees from users for services such as larger e-mail storingcapacity, online matchmaking and job listings” (L.A.TIMES, 7/10).

A U.S. Census Bureau report being released today revealsthat the nation’s “fastest population growth continues to be concentrated inthe Sun Belt.  Seven of the 10 fastestgrowing cities were in Arizona, California and Nevada,” with Gilbert, AZ, first.  The report adds that 76 of the 242 citiesthat have populations above 100,000 “lost ground from 2001 to 2002, comparedwith 41 in the 1990s” (USATODAY, 7/10).

The following represents cities with populations of 100,000or more ranked by percentage change between April ’00 and July ‘02 (AP, 7/10):

FINAL JEOPARDY!

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Computers.”

“In 2003, Dell made this computer part on its PCs an option;Apple had stopped including it on Macintoshes five years earlier.”

LAUGH TRACK

THEMONOLOGUES: 

NBC’s Jay Leno: “It was so hot today, Demi Moorewas asking Boy Scouts what they’d do for a Klondike bar.  I guess the hottest spot in the nation todaywas Death Valley – 104.  The coldestspot in the nation – the couch Kobe Bryant was sleeping on. ... Welcometo day three of Kobe held hostage, ladies and gentlemen.  Today, he was interrogated and grilled forover 12 hours, and that was by his wife. ... As you know, President Bushhas landed in Africa.  Not to beoutdone, today Bill Clinton landed on Naomi Campbell. ... Thisweekend in Pamplona, Spain, is the annual running of the bulls.  You know, they have a similar event everyyear right here in Malibu.  Hundreds ofpeople run out on the Pacific Coast Highway in front of a car driven by atanked-up Nick Nolte. ... Canadian researchers are studying Stonehenge,and they said the stones were initially positioned to represent the female sexorgan.  That explains why it’s been amystery for guys for five thousand years” ("Tonight Show," NBC,7/9).

WEDNESDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR

ESPN’s 11:00pm ET “SportsCenter” led with Red Sox-BlueJays, followed by Yankees-Indians and Red Sox P Pedro Martinez’scomments about Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner after Steinbrennercriticized Martinez for hitting Yankees SS Derek Jeter and 2B AlfonsoSoriano in Monday’s game.

FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

“What is a floppy disc drive?”

If you haveany questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com

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